“Yorkie Pekingese Mix”
The Yorkinese, also called Yorkingese, is a crossbreed of the Yorkshire Terrier and Pekingese. It is a small-sized dog with long and dense coat. The Yorkinese is an affectionate dog known for being proud, agile, and full of energy.
Parents
The parents of the Yorkinese – Yorkshire Terrier and Pekingese – are both small breed dogs. However, these two breeds are far from alike. For the Yorkinese, there is no guarantee which dominant personality or appearance it gets from its parents – making it an interesting and unique dog breed.
- Yorkshire Terrier
The origin of the Yorkshire Terrier, affectionately referred to as the Yorkie, dates back to the 19th century in Yorkshire, England. The modern Yorkshire Terrier is said to have descended from the crossbreeding of the Clydesdale Terrier or Paisley Terrier with other terriers. The first Yorkshire Terrier was recorded in 1872.
Yorkies are quite a handful to take care of. They are known for their mischievous and confident personalities.
- Pekingese
The Pekingese is a popular royal dog among the nobilities in ancient China. Because of this, the Pekingese has remained a proud and assertive dog.
Despite its small size, the Pekingese is known for its huge character. It is a brave, willful, and loyal companion.
Appearance
The Yorkinese, very much like its parents, is a delicate, small-sized dog. It has an average weight ranging from 5 to 14 pounds and an average height of 6 to 9 inches.
It has a long coat, but The Miami Vets explain that the texture may vary, depending on which parent it inherited from – silky and smooth like a Yorkie or coarse and sticking out from the ends like a Pekingese. Yorkinese come in a variety of colors, the most common of which include black, chocolate brown, golden, tan, and cream.
Its semi-square shaped head houses the Yorkinese’s dark button-round eyes and dainty black nose that peek out from its thick facial hair. The Yorkinese has short feet and a medium-length bushy tail. Overall, the Yorkinese has an elegant look for such a cute and charming dog.
Life Expectancy
The Yorkinese can live from 12 to 15 years – depending on proper care, diet, exercise, and environment.
Behavior
The Yorkinese has a huge personality for a dog its size. It is a bold, brave, and courageous dog. It exudes a combination of the traits of its parent breeds.
It is quite proud, confident, and independent, similar to a Pekingese. It is less social with other dogs and strangers. However, if a Yorkinese is exposed to socialization when it was still a puppy, it can develop an outgoing personality.
Yorkinese remain extremely loyal, loving, and affectionate towards their owners. They make great companions and watch dogs. Like a Yorkshire Terrier, a Yorkinese has a very energetic and happy nature. A Yorkinese will thrive in a small family where he takes most of the family’s attention. It loves to play, cuddle, and spend quality time with its owners.
It can be prone to develop Small Dog Syndrome. If a Yorkinese grows up untrained, it may become ill-tempered. This will lead to relentless barking and disobedient behavior. When socializing with bigger breeds, a Yorkinese may not realize how little it is compared to the others. He may think he is bigger than he really is. It might not be a good idea to let little children to play with a Yorkinese – unless the dog is trained and well-behaved – as a kid’s behavior may overexcite it.
Despite its cute appearance, Yorkinese must not be treated like a baby – which most owners of small-sized dogs do. If spoiled, the Yorkinese will think that it is the alpha of the household. This could lead to an untrainable and unruly dog. This little furball can be tremendously stubborn if it wants to – making it hard to train such breed. The Yorkinese, if not trained properly, could be quite stressful and frustrating to care for.
A Yorkinese will bark rarely or occasional unless it is triggered by an unwelcome visitor. Oftentimes, a Yorkinese will bark too much just to get your attention. If this happens, ignore it and do not respond. The best thing to do is to take it out for a walk or let it play. Excessive barking of a Yorkinese could come from pent up energy. Should the barking continue, consulting the veterinarian will be your last option.
In totality, a Yorkinese is a great family dog if provided with proper attention and affection from its owners.
Ideal Environment
Yorkinese can live in a small apartment due to its small size. It prefers to live with a small family. Just make sure that it has sufficient supervision when interacting with other dogs and little children.
Depending on how it was raised as a puppy, a Yorkinese may prefer to be alone just so it could get all your attention. It may not cope well living in a house with other pets. This characteristic may have stemmed from known characteristics of a Pekingese – being proud and superior.
The Yorkinese can adapt well to any environment. It can tolerate hot and cold weather, depending on the texture of its coat.
Diet
A Yorkinese will need to be regularly fed with href=”http://littledoggiesrule.com/dog-nutrition/”>high-quality, dry dog food every day. Sufficient food portions, usually one half to three quarters of a cup, will depend on the dog’s weight and size. A Yorkinese must be fed twice a day, not including treats, to prevent it from becoming overweight.
Exercise
The Yorkinese may do well living in an enclosed apartment. However, just like any dog, a Yorkinese will need to get out once in a while. Its energetic nature will make exercise a great way to release excess energy.
Exercise will help prevent a Yorkinese from being utterly stubborn. Exercise also helps a Yorkinese to develop and enhance its physical and mental health. Unlike most small dog breeds, a Yorkinese is only fairly active. Therefore, it only needs light exercises to meet its needs.
A light walk around the park, for about 15 to 20 minutes, would be enough. A Yorkinese is not much of an explorer. You can let it play and roam around the house without a leash. Toys can also help stimulate a Yorkinese’s mental health while providing enough exercise. You can introduce new activities to your dog each day such as playing fetch and chasing.
When taking a Yorkinese out for exercise and playing, make sure that it does not wander off to other dogs. Its temperament may conflict with bigger dogs, unless it started socialization as a puppy.
Also, provide enough drinking water to prevent dehydration and excessive exhaustion due to over-exercise. Daily activity should also depend on a Yorkinese’s current health condition and age.
Training
The Yorkinese is a highly intelligent breed. It could be easy for him to understand and obey simple commands – but only if it wants to.
Due to its Yorkshire Terrier descent, the Yorkinese can become quite stubborn and unruly, especially as a puppy. The Yorkinese may need a little effort to make training work. The key to effectively train it is to provide a lot of patience and consistency in the manner of training. A positive approach, in which rewards are enforced instead of giving punishments, can achieve better results. Training should start from puppyhood. In this age, the Yorkinese will be able to adapt and to obey commands easily.
First rule of getting a Yorkinese is to never treat it like a baby. When owners do this, a Yorkinese develops a bossy attitude towards them. If this happens, it will be quite difficult to train, especially when it becomes an adult. You have to establish that you are the boss, not the other way around.
Socialization is also an essential part of training a Yorkinese. If a Yorkinese experienced socialization with other dogs early in its puppyhood, it will be easier for him to play with other dogs while staying well-behaved.
Grooming
Strict grooming maintenance is required for keeping a long-coated Yorkinese. Shedding may not be often, but it is recommended to take a Yorkinese to a groomer a few times a month.
Daily brushing with a soft brush will remove loose hair and prevent tangling. However, avoid rigorous brushing as this could cause coat breakage. Use a gentle dog shampoo to keep its coat smooth and healthy. Applying conditioner will make brushing easier.
Regular hair trimming, aside from making your Yorkinese look good, will prevent dog hair from being a nuisance to your dog – especially for facial hair. Trimming dog hair around the eye area will give a Yorkinese a line of vision free from obstructions. The cocked, or even folded, ears of a Yorkinese are highly susceptible to bacteria and ear infections. Check its ears few times a week. Make sure to clip long nails as needed.
Tooth care is also important to a Yorkinese. Brachycephalic-type dogs, such as the Yorkinese, are prone to dental problems. Brushing its teeth twice to thrice a week is recommended.
Bathing a Yorkinese must be done at least once or twice a month. Yorkinese with regular exercise and interaction with other dogs will need to take a bath more frequently than dogs who do not.
A Yorkinese may be hypoallergenic, like a Yorkshire Terrier. However, this is not the case with all dogs of this breed. It is advisable to check first with a veterinarian.
Health Concerns
The Yorkinese does not have breed-specific health concerns. However, there are certain health concerns that it can get from its parents that you have to look out for.
Major health concerns for a Yorkinese include: patellar luxation, collapse trachea, entropion, brachycephalic syndrome, leg-calve-perthese disease, portacaval shunt, and skin fold dermatitis. Minor health concerns, which should also be looked out for, include eye problems, hydrocephalus, mitral valve disease, heart disease, cryptorchidism, hypoglycemia, and reverse sneezing.
Where Can You Get a Yorkinese?
Yorkinese are quite common nowadays. A Yorkinese puppy may cost around $200 to $550. It is available in most breeders and kennels. You can also visit your local dog pound to check if there is a yorkinese puppy for adoption.
Conclusion
The Yorkinese is one of the most popular designer breeds. This smart and intelligent dog is a great choice for new pet owners. It requires minimal maintenance needs and space requirements. It is a loyal and affectionate dog who loves to play and cuddle with its owners.
You should take caution if you are intent on owning a Yorkinese. Despite its tiny size, it is extremely bold and brave. It usually does not get along with other dogs, and even children.
The key to taming a Yorkinese is to introduce training and socialization early in its life. This will enable a Yorkinese to be more playful and behaved towards other dogs and children.
In totality, a Yorkinese is a great family dog if provided with proper attention, training, and affection from its owners.